Chris Maples Chat Wrap

April 11, 2002

BD, High Point: Can you talk about your upcoming series with Clemson, they seem to have a pretty solid pitching staff.

Chris Maples: (11:59 AM ET ) The upcoming series against Clemson will be a real important series for us in the ACC. Clemson always puts together a very good team. Luckily this year we are playing well and they are coming into our place. Hopefully we will have a great series against them and come out victorious.

Brandon: What is your favorite position to play and why?

Chris Maples: (12:01 PM ET ) My favorite position to play would be infield, third second and short. Because I have played there all my life and that is where most of the action is. It is also fun to play outfield because you get a chance to show off your arm and it is fun to pitch because you are in the spotlight, all eyes are on you.

NANCY (EFLAND): WHAT MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM WOULD YOU PREFER TO GO TO IF YOU HAD A CHOICE AND WHY?

Chris Maples: (12:02 PM ET ) That is a tough one. If I had a choice, I guess it would be the Braves because I grew up as an Atlanta Braves fan. But there is no real bias, if I go pro hopefully I will go to the team where I was most needed.

Brandi (Durham): What person/people have been the most supportive of your college career, both on and off the field?

Chris Maples: (12:04 PM ET ) Obviously my coaches have been real supportive. In high school and college all of my coaches have been very supportive and helpful on and off the field. I usually have about six people from my family who come to every game and stay behind me 100 percent no matter how good or bad I do.

Rick: At the next level, what position do you feel the scouts would want you to play?

Chris Maples: (12:05 PM ET ) At the next level I believe the scouts like my arm, so I believe my best chance would be as a pitcher. The way I am swinging the bat now gets a little extra head turn, but I think pitching is my best chance.

Eric, Thomson, Ga.: Do you keep a book on other ACC teams since you see them so often? Does playing them that often make it tougher to pitch to them?

Chris Maples: (12:07 PM ET ) Yes, we have a scouting report on every team we play and our coaches keep that. It lets us know who is hitting and what pitches they hit best. It tells us their speed. That helps us know a little bit of their weaknesses at the plate. If you make the right pitch at the right time you will be effective. Playing them often actually helps a little bit, because you know when they are struggling and when they are really hot.

Brad (Indy): Hello, Chris who did you idolize when you was younger, and did you try to modle your game after them, and do you still? Thanks!

Chris Maples: (12:09 PM ET ) When I was younger I really didn.t model my game after anyone. I had my favorite players like Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco and Kirby Puckett. As far as modeling my game after someone I didn.t model it after anyone, I just came to the ball park to play and have fun.

Keith (Apex): I think you guys could go to the CWS and win it all. Do you feel your team is ready to make the next big step in winning the ACC and possibly going to the CWS?

Chris Maples: (12:10 PM ET ) Yes, I feel like we have a great team this, one of the better teams I have played on. We have the confidence and the ability to go on and do great things. I believe we can play with any team and hopefully we will be in Omaha this year.

Brandi (Durham): What do you think has been the most rewarding experience since you have been at UNC?

Chris Maples: (12:12 PM ET ) I think the most rewarding experience has been lifetime friends. I have been fortunate to have some great teammates and then real fortunate to play baseball at a college that I have always been a fan of.

Scott [arlington va]: Do you like Coach Fox's style of coaching? What do you think is his most important lesson he has taught you?

Chris Maples: (12:14 PM ET ) Yes, I like his style of coaching. He is real hardnosed. He likes things done the way he wants them done which prepares you for the real world. You have to do what your boss tells you. I think one of the most important things that he teaches is class. He teaches you to be a classy person and a classy player on and off the field.

Paul: Are you as calm inside as you apear to be on the outside when you are on the field and things might not be going your way.

Chris Maples: (12:15 PM ET ) I am usually pretty calm. My personality has a lot to do with it. I am kind of an easy going guy that doesn.t really have a big care. I have an outgoing personality that helps a little bit to keep me calm. Coach Fox refers to me as having ice water in my veins. I guess that means I am not letting bad things that with me.

KC (Durham): Other than Boshamer, what is your favorite ACC ballpark in which to play?

Chris Maples: (12:17 PM ET ) I think it would have to be a tie between Clemson and Florida State because of the fan support and the playing surfaces. They both have really nice fields. I would probably like playing there even more if the fans weren.t so brutal, but having brutal fans pumps me up a little bit and makes me want to do better to keep them quiet.

Ricky: Would you rather come in and close out a game at the start of a inning or hear lately with the bases loaded.

Chris Maples: (12:19 PM ET ) Like I said earlier, I kind of stay pretty calm so coming in at the beginning or with the bases loaded really doesn.t matter. If I was really concerned with my record, I would definitely want to come in at the beginning of an inning rather than coming in with the bases loaded.

Scott, Greensboro: You guys got off to a slow start, what has been the biggest thing that helped this team turn things around, GO HEELS!

Chris Maples: (12:21 PM ET ) We did get off to a slow start, but we were playing top caliber teams. I think one thing that helped turn the program around was the fact that we were in every game we played until the end against teams like Georgia, Auburn and California.

Jack: What was the key to your team's sweep of FLorida State? Who has been the best team you have faced this season?

Chris Maples: (12:22 PM ET ) The key to our sweep against FSU I believe a lot had to do with the first game and the comeback we had. After Friday.s game it boosted our confidence even more. Florida State is no pushover, but I think scoring runs early after we won on Friday helped because I believe it put a thought in their head that we were going to score and not lay and give up. I believe the best team we have played so far is probably Wake Forest.

JD, Burlington, NC: As a hitter, what things do you work on in offseason? What things do you do in the cages that help you generate power at the plate?

Chris Maples: (12:24 PM ET ) In the off season we lift a lot. Me personally, I take the lifting very serious. This off season we focused more on lifting rather than running and I became a lot stronger. Some of the things we work on in the cages is staying back and hitting balls late in the zone and keeping your swing short.

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Chris Maples

Related Videos